08:34 am - Manchester lives up to its repI had the most tiring day yesterday. My daughter has managed to get a transfer to less expensive student accommodation. And the new place is much nicer. (Those who know the area, she is now at the big Fallowfield complex). Anyway, so I went up to Manchester, and drove backwards and forwards between the two places taking her stuff. We managed it in two loads, and then went out for pasta.

That would have been fine, except that Manchester decided to deliver the heaviest rain ever all day. It was so frightening driving about, because it was sledging down, and the spray up, and I couldn't see the road markings, and everyone else knew where they were going, and I got loudly horn-blasted (justifiably) twice for nearly going the wrong way. OMG. I'm just glad I didn't cause an accident.

And then when we walked up the road to the Italian restaurant, I got utterly drenched. I mean, I had a coat on, but my trousers got so wet. When we got to the restaurant I went to the ladies loos, took my trousers off, and held them under the hand dryer until they were wearably damp instead of sodden. I've never done that before.

Sounds exhausting. I can't deal with driving in Manchester in bright sunshine, let alone that kind of rain. I went the wrong way, found myself in a tram lane (?) and couldn't get out of the wrong place and into the right place.

Last time I went to Manchester the ring road was closed so all the traffic was going less than walking pace. It was frustrating and took an hour to get to my daughter's house, but at least I had time to work out what the hell I was supposed to be doing.

No, it's been annoying - I was hoping to mow the lawn this week, and I was out the one day when I could have done it. Also I've been looking out of the window thinking "This is why students think Manchester is wet, because they arrive in the wettest season."

What I meant was that we had the heaviest rain ever in the evening. In the afternoon, it was light rain, and I don't actually remember it in the morning. And, oh, damn, now it's sunny - does that mean I should drop everything and run out to attempt the lawn before tomorrow morning's green bin collection?

That sounds stressful, I'm sorry - I know I really don't like driving in rain like that, either. I'm glad you got through it ok.

The first autumn that I was at school in Manchester (around the Fallowfield area, actually), I remember it raining every day for weeks on end, and thinking that the new students were finding out the hard way that Manchester really did deserve its reputation!